What on Earth does this pointless "LOOK AT ME!" thread have to do with 'Eating Out in Chicagoland'? If it belongs anywhere, it belongs in 'Other Culinary Chat' - and even that is more than a little iffy. Sorry, but this is just beyond silly. Maybe Yelp-y?

sundevilpeg wrote:What on Earth does this pointless "LOOK AT ME!" thread have to do with 'Eating Out in Chicagoland'? If it belongs anywhere, it belongs in 'Other Culinary Chat' - and even that is more than a little iffy. Sorry, but this is just beyond silly. Maybe Yelp-y?

CURMUDGEON.

Really, considering the multitude of "silly" LTH threads over the years, this is a drop in the water, and will do no permanent damage.

cito wrote:My two prominent "brushes" with celebs:

We sat two tables away from Bonnie Hunt at Gridley's in Long Grove one night a few years ago.

Although not food related, I was enrolled in a Marketing 101 class at Northwestern University ( evenings circa 1978) and lo and behold, seated six feet from me for the entire semester was Ernie Banks. He had been retired for several years and he was auditing the class. Nothing beats staring at your childhood sports hero--- complete with Hall of Fame ring on his finger.

I happen to be eating at Harry Carey's downtown last year and, lo and behold, Mr. Cub was sitting at the table next to me. My friend and I were thrilled beyond belief.

aschie30 wrote:

sundevilpeg wrote:What on Earth does this pointless "LOOK AT ME!" thread have to do with 'Eating Out in Chicagoland'? If it belongs anywhere, it belongs in 'Other Culinary Chat' - and even that is more than a little iffy. Sorry, but this is just beyond silly. Maybe Yelp-y?

CURMUDGEON.

Really, considering the multitude of "silly" LTH threads over the years, this is a drop in the water, and will do no permanent damage.

I think the original point was celebrity sightings in restaurants.

Julia Sweeney (Saturday Night Live's "Pat") was shopping in our Evanston spice shop around dinner time tonight. So it is very cool that some celebrities also cook.

A long time ago in another space and time I was waiting in line to get a table at Lawrence of Oregano on Diversey. It was a Saturday night and they were quite busy. I had been waiting for almost an hour and the line was moving very slowly. Finally after about 90 minutes I made it to the front of the line. Then I saw Mayor Jane Byrne come in with a couple of people and the maitre de gave them "my" table. This pissed me off, so I left. That was the last time I went there. Apparently, news of this incident got around, because they shortly thereafter went out of business.

Vince Vaughn at the Grape Street piano bar last year. We were told that "Mr. Vaughn doesn't want to be disturbed".

Stephanie Izard sat at the next table at the Primehouse beef/tea tasting earlier in the year.

Caught MJ eating at onesixtyblue one night.

Bumped into Jackie Chan as we were exiting Bouchon in Beverly Hills back in June.

I guess I can't really count famous chefs who are at their own restaurants, ha ha.

A few years back in Champaign, a friend and I were at Steak & Shake when we spotted Roger Ebert at a table behind us, dining with a fair number of actors and actresses, the only one we were able to identify was Mario Van Peebles, who had just starred in indie biopic BAADASSSSS!

He was in town for the Ebert Film Festival and apparently he goes to that same Steak & Shake every year (his love for it is well-documented) and leaves a VERY generous tip.

Oblivious...I'm totally oblivious to celebrity sightings. They all are just people to me.

I made a latte for Kevin Butler when he was kicker for the Bears. That's about it.

I saw Exene Cervenka and John Doe eating at the House of Blues right before an X show.

pairs4life wrote:I always pass the monthly CI to my husband to read (if I don't read it to him) the letter/story from the editor.

how funny, I do this too! But it's so that he can read it aloud to me in a mockingly pompous tone of voice. Never fails to crack me up.

back on topic, I saw Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman eating lunch at Whole Foods on Huron a couple of weeks ago.

Bill Lambier sitting at a table in the bar area of Joe's Stone Crab Chicago

The band Galactic eating bbq @ Toon's



I did get to play some pick-up basketball back in the day with pre murder wrap O.J. Simpson, Adam Sandler & Stacy King(not the same game, that would have been interesting).

sarcon wrote:

pairs4life wrote:I always pass the monthly CI to my husband to read (if I don't read it to him) the letter/story from the editor.

how funny, I do this too! But it's so that he can read it aloud to me in a mockingly pompous tone of voice. Never fails to crack me up.

back on topic, I saw Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman eating lunch at Whole Foods on Huron a couple of weeks ago.

I was going to say this is the saddest thread on LTH since the last Chicago pizza sux/NYC #1 discourse, but then I was taken by the image of these sensitive Boho hipsters eating lunch at Whole Foods, when superficially more logical options like the Ohio House and Graham Elliot are nearby. (I realize that these guys would only eat at the Ohio House in their roles as movie characters.) The lesson is, Hollywood actors eat at Whole Foods, even cool actors. You'd never see them in Thai Town or at Langer's. And, so you know, two of ourfavorite movies are Rushmore and Superbad.

JeffB wrote:

sarcon wrote:

pairs4life wrote:I always pass the monthly CI to my husband to read (if I don't read it to him) the letter/story from the editor.

back on topic, I saw Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman eating lunch at Whole Foods on Huron a couple of weeks ago.

...when superficially more logical options like the Ohio House and Graham Elliot are nearby. (I realize that these guys would only eat at the Ohio House in their roles as movie characters.) The lesson is, Hollywood actors eat at Whole Foods, even cool actors.

yes, it was sort of disappointing, but also humanizing. It would have made much more of an impact to see them at Ohio House. My guess is that at least one of them is vegan, and they (or their handler) just picked the most convenient (and dorky) veggie friendly option.

JeffB wrote:And, so you know, two of ourfavorite movies are Rushmore and Superbad.

Me too! I lost my nerve before I could grill Michael Cera about the Arrested Development movie (word is, he's the hold-out).

I'm trying to remember the famous person we saw at MOTO, but I guess our meal made a more significant impression on me. Oh! It was Tony Kushner, I think.

We saw Fred Armisen and Elisabeth Moss at an art gallery a few months ago.

Quite a few years ago: Rod Stewart+babes @ the cafe @ Fox & Obel.
A couple of hours later--strolling through Borders bookstore on N. Mich.

Mostly due to work related issues and the former vocation of a family member, I have a long, long list of these that I refuse to get into because I aspire not to be labeled either a "jock sniffer" or a "star f'er" as they say in LA. But I will hint at the comic irony of eating lunch, ass-to-elbow as it were, by Ice-T and his wife "Coco T" at Asia de Cuba in West Hollywood a few years back. Not my choice, believe me, but seeing these two eating salad and arguing was sort of priceless. OK, I'm done.

If you are not familiar with Coco T and her abundant charms, well, you are lucky.

In line at the Carnegie Deli standing behind Henny Youngman (sans violin) waiting for our corned beefs to be sliced. (How classic is that!)

Joan Cusack at Le Bouchon. Joel Rubuchon at Joel Rubuchon in Las Vegas.

Cinnamon Girl wrote:Julia Sweeney (Saturday Night Live's "Pat") was shopping in our Evanston spice shop around dinner time tonight. So it is very cool that some celebrities also cook.

LOL, the fact that you were FEATURED on Good Eats is WAAAY cooler as far as I'm concerned! (Love Julia Sweeney, tho)

Just remembered another one. At that place on Happ Rd. in Northfield that has been one place after another, but back when it was MK North...three generations of the Harold Ramis family at lunch. (A couple of grandparent-types, Ramis and his wife, and some kids, altogether a party of six or seven around a round table.)

Just last week, Patti LaBelle while at Balsan for lunch. She looked great, I want to age like that.

Robert Plant alone at Nuevo Leon.

Homer Simpson dining alone at Tierra Caliente making an ungodly amount of noise as he snuffled down 6 tacos. 2-al pastor, 2-carne asada, 2-chivo and an horchata .

Now Homer I would recognize.

2005 at the Cell - White Sox playing the Red Sox and we had scored Scout Seats in a charity auction downstate. Got to poke fun at Johnny Damon from behind home plate and dine in the Scout Seats Buffet (really pretty good, too) with Perry Farrell and his family/entourage, who were in town, I believe, in advance of the first Lollapalooza.

Perry was dressed in vintage couture of some kind - very celebrity-like. The wife in the couple we took with us was frozen and speechless - she was "Jane's Addiction's biggest fan in college" and being able to walk over an introduce herself to Perry was something she had to work up the courage (I think it was tequila that provided the courage) to do. The photo we took has a prominent place in her home to this day

I could care less about celebrities so, surprisingly, I have some good one's over the years(some food related and some not). Da Mayor at Tuscany on Taylor(man, he is short!)d, John Travolta at the Water Tower, Oprah and her trainer jogging on the Lake, David Schwimmer hanging around outside the Lookinglass(he's better looking in person). Mmm maybe some more.

My fantasy restaurant celebrity sighting: We're having dinner at Graham Elliot, and Barack and Michelle walk in.

Maybe someday.

riddlemay wrote:My fantasy restaurant celebrity sighting: We're having dinner at Graham Elliot, and Barack and Michelle walk in.

Maybe someday.

i expected you to keep going...

riddlemay wrote:My fantasy restaurant celebrity sighting: We're having dinner at Graham Elliot, and Barack and Michelle walk in.

Well, now that we're discussing sightings that we'd like to have instead of ones that we've actually had: I'd love to have a free dinner at Alinea with John Lennon and Stanley Kubrick. Oh, and John Lennon should have a miniature Audrey Hepburn growing out of his stomach like a quatto. It would be also helpful if Audrey referred to me as "Quaid" and repeatedly asked me to "release my mind".

Good night.

Best,
Michael